Description
Gibson Advanced Jumbo (AJ) 1938 – a true holy grail acoustic guitar for players and collectors – Gibson Advanced Jumbos are the most sought after Gibson made flat top guitars.
Introduced in 1935 and retailing for $80, the Advanced Jumbo was the top of the line Gibson acoustic guitar, competing with the Martin D-28 in a marketplace that was looking for more volume, presence and tone from Dreadnought shaped instruments. With no more than 300 thought to have been produced, this 1938 Gibson Advanced Jumbo is an iconic instrument that we are thrilled to offer for sale.
This 1938 Gibson J-45 is a fantastic example of Gibsons pre-war acoustic period, making it easy to see why this is considered their golden era for flat top instruments. Constructed from an Adirondack Spruce top and rosewood back and sides, the Advanced Jumbo was the only instrument featuring rosewood to bear the Gibson headstock logo during this period. Featuring scalloped X bracing, the story goes that all Advanced Jumbo models were given to one employee at Kalamazoo, who would hand scallop the bracing and tune it to each piece of Spruce after coming off the production line, with all Advanced Jumbo models having slightly different scalloping patterns. The result is a remarkably open, balanced and detailed tone that is perhaps the best we have heard in all our years of selling guitars.
The neck profile is a comfortable ‘V’ profile that was used specifically on the Advanced Jumbo model, with a slimmer back shape that gives it a faster playing feel, with the fuller, rounder back shape reserved for supposedly more ‘working class’ instruments at the time. The guitar is finished with the larger sunburst introduced in 1938, along with a flamed celluloid pickguard and diamond & arrowhead fretboard and headstock inlay.
This guitar is in good condition for an instrument of its age, and has had some work over the years to keep it in top playing condition. The neck has been reset at some point to ensure optimal playability. The whole guitar had some thin coat of clear lacquer overspray. It is a very old overspray and the guitar blacklights correctly. The guitar may have a small crack on the headstock repaired from replacing one of the tuners. The repair was done so perfectly that you basically can’t see anything.
The original bridge and thicker maple bridge plate are present and correct.
This guitar has been given a full service by our luthier at the Vintage Guitar World workshop. It comes with a newer Gibson case.
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